The Pioneers (band)
Encyclopedia
The Pioneers are a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

n reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

 vocal
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

 trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...

, whose main period of success was in the 1960s. The trio has had different line-ups, and still occasionally performs.

Founding and early years: 1962-1967

The Pioneers were formed in 1962 by brothers
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...

 Sydney
Sydney Crooks
Sydney Crooks , also known as Sidney Crooks, Sidney George, Luddy Pioneer, and Luddy Crooks, is a Jamaican singer and record producer, and a member of The Pioneers since 1962.-Biography:Crooks was born in Westmoreland and after moving to Trench Town aged 17, entered the music business in...

 and Derrick Crooks, and their friend Winston Hewitt. Their early recordings "Good Nanny" and "I'll Never Come Running Back to You" were self-produced at the Treasure Isle studio using money lent to the Crooks brothers by their mother and appeared on Ken Lack
Ken Lack
Ken Lack was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae record producer active in the latter half of the 1960s, who also ran the Caltone and JonTom record labels.-Career:...

's Caltone label.

Several other singles followed, none of them hits, before Hewitt emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 in 1966. Hewitt was replaced for around a year by former Heptone
The Heptones
The Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and rocksteady with their three-part harmonies.-History:Leroy Sibbles, Earl...

 Glen Adams
Glen Adams
Glen Adams was a Jamaican musician, composer, arranger, engineer, producer, based since the mid-1970s in Brooklyn, New York.-Career:...

.

The Pioneers' early singles were not successful, and Sydney began promoting concerts, while Derrick took up a job with the Alcoa bauxite company. The group broke up in mid-1967.

The Pioneers revived: 1967-1968

Sydney began working at Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...

' record shop, and through Gibbs, returned to recording. At his first session (to record "Give Me Little Loving"), with the other members of The Pioneers gone, Crooks recruited Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson (musician)
Jackie Robinson is a Jamaican singer, best known as the lead vocalist with The Pioneers, but who has also recorded solo material both under his own name, and under the pseudonym Harry Hippy.-Biography:...

, who he found outside the studio just before recording began. Crooks later said of the encounter:

"When I was about to voice the song I looked outside the studio and I saw a little boy sitting on a stone. I said 'Hey, come here man, you can sing?' He sung the harmony for 'Give Me Little Loving' and his name was Jackie Robinson. After that I said to him 'You are one of the Pioneers from today' and he became the lead singer of the Pioneers".


The new version of The Pioneers enjoyed success with singles such as "Longshot" (a track written and produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry on Gibbs' behalf about a long-lived but unsuccessful racehorse), "Jackpot", "Catch the Beat", and "Pan Yu Machete" (an attack on Perry, who left Gibbs in 1968 to start woking on his own productions). Crooks and Robinson also recorded as The Soul Mates in 1967. The group parted ways with Gibbs after an argument and moved on to work with Leslie Kong
Leslie Kong
Leslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...

, the first recording for Kong being "Samfie Man", a song about a confidence trickster, which topped the Jamaican singles chart.

The classic trio, and the move to the UK: 1969-1977

After a few further singles with Kong, the group recruited Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...

's half-brother George Agard to become a trio again. Sydney Crooks and his former Pioneer brother Derrick, along with Winston Bailey also recorded as The Slickers
The Slickers
The Slickers were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.They are best known for the song, "Johnny Too Bad", which featured on the film soundtrack of The Harder They Come, and which was sung with additional lyrics by John Martyn on his Grace and Danger album.The...

, recording "Nana" for producer Neremiah Reid. The Pioneers scored again with a sequel to "Long Shot", "Long Shot (Kick De Bucket)". When Kong heard that the horse had died (during its 203rd race), he insisted that the group write a song about it; The song was written and recorded quickly and became an instant hit.

The band was popular in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, particularly among skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...

s. "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" was a big hit in 1969, and led to a tour of the UK, during which they resolved to relocate there. Their cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 of Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...

's "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" made #5 as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 in 1971.

The band did indeed move to the UK in 1970. Their third UK hit was "Give and Take", which reached #35 in January 1972. In 1975 they were the first reggae band to tour in Japan
Japanese reggae
Japanese reggae is reggae music originating from Japan. The first reggae band to perform in Japan was The Pioneers who toured in 1975. However it was not until 1979, when Jamaican singer Bob Marley visited Japan on holiday that reggae would gain momentum...

.

Soul Years: 1976-1979

In 1976 the Pioneers teamed up with Eddie Grant
Eddie Grant
Edward Grant may refer to:* Edward Grant * Edward Grant , , English cricketer* Eddy Grant , Guyanese-born musician and record producer...

 for an album for Mercury records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...

 called 'Feel The Rhythm'. Grant preferred to produce them as a soul group and they released a number of singles of that idiom including 'Broken Man', 'Feel The Rhythm' and 'My Good Friend James'

The change of style was a critical but not a commercial success and the band split up for a time in the late 1970s, with Crooks concentrating on production work and continuing with his brother in The Slickers, while Agard and Robinson continued to record, together on the album George & Jackie Sing, and separately.

First Reformation: 1979-1989

The group reformed in the late 1970s and continued until 1989, when they split again to concentrate on separate careers. "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" was a minor UK chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....

 hit again in 1980 upon re-issue. At the same time, "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 by The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...

 on their The Special AKA Live! EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

, which was a UK #1 hit in 1980.

The Pioneers song "Starvation" was also covered on the "Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie
Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie
"Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie" is a double A-sided charity single released in 1985, and recorded by two charity ensembles formed specially for the occasion, also known as Starvation and Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie respectively...

" charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 single released in 1985, which peaked at UK #33. The Pioneers shared lead vocal duties on the single with members of UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...

, with backing vocals by General Public
General Public
General Public were a band formed by The Beat vocalists, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, and which included former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Specials and The Clash...

.

Second Reformation: 1999-present

In 1999, the group reformed again and have continued to perform together since.

In 2005, the Pioneers performed at the Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...

 Roots Reggae Festival in São Luís
São Luís, Maranhão
São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 before 15,000 fans
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...

. The following year they appeared at the Godiva Festival
Godiva Festival
The Godiva Festival is a free weekend long music festival held each year in the War Memorial Park, Coventry, England, named after the city's famous former inhabitant Lady Godiva. It first appeared as a day long event in 1997 and became a 3 day event the following year in 1998...

 in the War Memorial Park
War Memorial Park, Coventry
The War Memorial Park is a large park of about 48.5 hectares situated in southern Coventry. The park was opened in July 1921 as a tribute to the 2,587 Coventrians who died between 1914 and 1918 fighting in the First World War...

, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" was used in the 2008 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

, The Wackness
The Wackness
The Wackness is a 2008 American coming of age drama film by Jonathan Levine and starring Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, and Olivia Thirlby. The film is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics and was released in the U.S. on July 3, 2008.-Plot:...

.

Albums

  • Greetings From The Pioneers - 1968 - Amalgamated - produced
    Record producer
    A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

     by Joe Gibbs
    Joe Gibbs (record producer)
    Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...

  • Long Shot - 1969 - Trojan Records
    Trojan Records
    Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...

     - produced by Leslie Kong
    Leslie Kong
    Leslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...

  • Battle Of The Giants - 1970 - Trojan Records - produced by Leslie Kong
  • Yeah - 1971 - Trojan Records
  • I Believe In Love - 1972 - Trojan Records
  • Freedom Feeling - 1973 - Trojan Records
  • I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door - 1974 - Trojan Records
  • Feel The Rhythm -1976 - Mercury Records
  • Roll On Muddy River - 1977 - Trojan Records
  • Pusher Man - 1978 - Squad Disco
  • Pusher Man - 1978 - Trojan Records (different tracks to the Squad Disco release)
  • What A Feeling - 1980 - Pioneer International
  • Reggae for Lovers - D.M.C.


Compilations:
  • From The Beginning - 1969-1976 - WWS
  • Kick De Bucket - Rhino Records
  • Greatest Reggae Hits - 1979 - Trojan Records
  • More Reggae For Lovers Vol.4 - 1985 - Vista Sounds
  • Longshot Kick De Bucket (The Best Of) - 1997 - Trojan Records
  • Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (Anthology) - 2002 - Trojan Records
  • Give And Take: The Best of The Pioneers - 2003 - Trojan Records

Singles

  • "Good Nanny" (196?), Caltone
  • "I'll Never Come Running Back to You" (196?), Caltone
  • "Sometimes" (1965), Island
    Island Records
    Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...

     (B-side to Theo Beckford's "Trench Town People")
  • "Good Nanny" (1966), Rio
  • "Too Late" (1966), Rio
  • "Give Me Little Loving" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Long Shot" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Jackpot" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "No Dope Me Pony" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Tickle Me For Days" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Catch the Beat" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Sweet Dreams" (1968), Amalgamated
  • "Shake It Up" (1968), Blue Cat
  • "Give It To Me" (1968), Blue Cat
  • "Whip Them" (1968), Blue Cat
  • "Reggae Beat" (1968), Blue Cat
  • "I Love No Other Girl" (1968), Caltone
  • "Easy Come Easy Go" (1968), Pyramid
  • "Pee Pee Cluck Cluck" (1968), Pyramid
  • "Pan Yu Machete"
  • "Love Love Everyday" (1969), Amalgamated (B-dside to the Moon Boys' "Apollo 11")
  • "Don't You Know" (1969), Amalgamated
  • "Mama Look Deh" (1969), Amalgamated
  • "Who the Cap Fits" (1969), Amalgamated
  • "Alli Button" (1969), Amalgamated
  • "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" (1969), Trojan (UK #21)
  • "Black Bud" (1969), Trojan
  • "Poor Rameses" (1969), Trojan
  • "Samfie Man" (1970), Trojan
  • "Boss Festival" (1970), Trojan
  • "Driven Back" (1970), Trojan
  • "Simmer Down Quashie" (1970), Trojan

  • "Battle of the Giants" (1970), Trojan
  • "Money Day" (1970), Trojan
  • "I Need Your Sweet Inspiration" (1970), Trojan
  • "Starvation" (1971), Summit
  • "Get Ready" (1971), Summit
  • "Land of Complexion" (1971), Summit
  • "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" (1971), Trojan (UK #5)
  • "Give and Take" (1971), Trojan (UK #35)
  • "I am a Believer" (1971), Hot Shot
  • "Story Book Children" (1972), Summit
  • "I Believe in Love" (1972), Trojan
  • "Roll Muddy River" (1972), Ifusion
  • "At the Discotheque" (197?), Trojan
  • "Bad to be Good" (1973), Trojan
  • "Do It Right" (197?), Trojan
  • "Hit Me With Music", (197?), Trojan
  • "Some Livin' Some Dyin'" (197?), Trojan
  • "Sweet Number One" (197?), Trojan
  • "World Needs Love" (197?), Trojan
  • "Honey Bee" (1974), Trojan
  • "Jamaica Jerk Off" (1974), Trojan
  • "Feel The Rhythm (of You and I)(1976), Mercury
  • "Broken Man" (1976), Mercury
  • "My Good Friend James" (1977), Mercury
  • "Mother Ritty" (19??), Beverleys
  • "Rock My Soul" (1985), Creole
  • "Reggae in London City" (1986)
  • "Bad Company" (198?), Pioneer International
  • "Starvation" (198?), Boss
  • "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (1973), Joe Gibbs
  • "Bring Back the Yester Years" (1997), Joe Gibbs
  • "Run Run Run" (19??), MGA


The Pioneers also had a #42 UK hit in 1980 with a double-A-side release of "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" and Harry J All-Stars' "Liquidator", and a four-track EP consisting of tracks by The Pioneers, The Maytals, The Skatalites
The Skatalites
The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone". They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period...

, and Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...

 reached #86 in 1989.

Cover versions

The Pioneers track, "Jackpot", was covered by The Beat
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....

 on their 1980 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

, I Just Can't Stop It
I Just Can't Stop It (album)
I Just Can't Stop It is the debut album by UK 2 tone band The Beat. The album was released in 1980 via Go Feet Records in the UK. It was released the same year in the US on I.R.S...

. Their song "Starvation" was also covered on the "Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie
Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie
"Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie" is a double A-sided charity single released in 1985, and recorded by two charity ensembles formed specially for the occasion, also known as Starvation and Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie respectively...

" charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 single released in 1985.
  • The Selecter
    The Selecter
    The Selecter are a 2 Tone ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in mid 1979.Like many other bands in the ska revival movement, The Selecter featured a racially diverse line-up. Their lyrics featured themes connected to politics and marijuana, set to strong melodies and a danceable beat...

     covered "Time Hard" as "Everyday" on their 1980 album Too Much Pressure (album)
    Too Much Pressure (album)
    Too Much Pressure was the first album by British ska band The Selecter. It was released in 1980 on 2 Tone records. The album charted at # 5 in the United Kingdom.The title track "Too Much Pressure" was featured in the film The Abyss.-Side one:...


See also

  • List of reggae musicians
  • List of ska musicians
  • Trojan skinhead
    Trojan skinhead
    Trojan skinheads are individuals who identify with the original British skinhead subculture of the late 1960s, when ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul music were popular, and there was a heavy emphasis on mod-influenced clothing styles...

  • Island Records discography
    Island Records discography
    Given the longevity of the Island Records record label it is inevitable that a large amount of data has to be gathered, managed and presented not only correctly but also usably...


External links

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